It’s a beautiful, crisp, October day.  I am trying to write a homily for tomorrow, and all of the windows are open.  


But all that I can manage to get onto paper is that there is nothing quite so distracting as a leaf blower at full volume. 


 FULL VOLUME.  


This neighbor always wears his ear buds.  I have noise canceling ear phones on and they are not enough!  When it is coming from a neighbor, not only is the sound creating a major disturbance,  but the slippery sense of guilt also pervades.   “I should be doing that,” I fret. “When is the mulch going to get purchased, picked up and put down?”  Beneath our generous tree canopy, we have much non-turfed geography.  The leaves actually help with that, this time of year.  But today is supposed to be about writing because I can rarely get it finished before this Saturday moment in the week. 


It is not my neighbor's fault. 
Part of this is about the fact that my schedule is so different from that of those around me. And it is also true that I go full tilt in the first part of the week, and then tend to hit the wall and slide down.  Rebelliousness and Procrastination are besties in my world.


But this is a happy chore, or it will be when the dreaded blower is back in John’s garage.  Proper 26-7 in Year B are the only days across the three year Lectionary Cycle when we hear the story of Ruth.  Long before I was ordained, Ruth was special to me.  Surely my story and hers will find a way to dance together under the Holy Spirit’s direction.


 Or, perhaps there will be the distraction of an autumn nap….


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